Texas Supreme Court justice’s oversight of trust belonging to millionaire with dementia raises ethics concerns

Despite objections from her family, John Devine oversees the trust of Elvie Kingston, a clear violation of Texas’ judicial ethics rules, experts said. His wife is also her legal guardian.

By Robert Downen, The Texas TribuneOctober 23, 2024 11:50 am,

From The Texas Tribune:

Ethics concerns

Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune

John Devine, then a candidate for the Texas Supreme Court, with a young supporter at the Republican Party of Texas convention in Fort Worth on June 8, 2012. Devine was elected to the court the following November.

‘Things got sour’

aura Skelding for The Texas Tribune

From left: Texas Supreme Court Justices Jeff Brown, John Devine, Jeffrey Boyd and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Bert Richardson on Jan. 10, 2018.

Photo provided by Michelle Hartman

In 2019, as Elvie Kingston's friends say she was showing early signs of dementia, one friend started helping her organize old mail. "Not on good terms with him either!" the friend, Mary May, said she wrote.

A fast decline

Nubia Devine serves as Kingston’s legal guardian. Photo from social media